Written
by Mike Saulman, posted by blog admin
OFFICIAL: http://kittensslaydragons.com/
TWITTER:https://twitter.com/meowslaydragons
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TWITTER:https://twitter.com/meowslaydragons
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kittensslaydragons/
Love is Surgery Video: https://youtu.be/uLUjVFRQePk
Big
Big Heart from songwriter Sarah Donner’s electronica project Kittens Slay
Dragons is one of the best examples of the form released in recent memory. It
is, likewise, an intensely personal project that finds this performer bringing
layers of heart into her music. Many might deride electronica as too cold, too
mechanical, but any dissenting voices offering up such opinions will find
themselves completely rebuffed by the warmth and artistry coming from this
release. Donner’s pop sensibility makes every song on this release an adventurous
experience – she has a vibrant, youthful voice that cuts through the production
and infuses each song with unique and highly individual tone. Even during the
album’s more serious moments we can hear an effortless playfulness sure to
entertain many. Kittens Slay Dragons doesn’t have the feeling of some one-off
or a dalliance – instead, the album’s ten songs make an impact and sound like
fully realized musical compositions.
The
quicksilver synthesizer playing forming the backing track of “Gatekeeper” gives
Donner’s voice and clean, uncluttered platform for making a personal statement.
Donner’s brand of songwriting allows her to make such personal statements,
however, without ever risking obscurity and the visceral edge to her pop vocals
brings an added theatricality to the sound that’s never overdone. There’s a
lighter, chiming quality to the synths on “Castiel” accompanied by some
assertive percussion and a thumping bass beat. It strikes quite a contrast with
the pure pop exuberance of Donner’s voice, but the differences work well. “Smile
Pretty” varies the approach. Instead of pursuing an urgent line of attack,
Donner writes much more emotional effect here instead of physical. Her voice is
a constant strength appealing to that side of her music, but the near-ambient
textures of this song are a marked change. It, likewise, showcases her voice to
fantastic effect.
The
title song runs along similar lines. It has a strongly swirling, evocative
quality much more concrete than the aforementioned song and its melodic virtues
are stronger. Donner combines a more measured take on her style here and mixes
it with her customary emotional high points in a memorable way. The relentless
pulse of “Queer and Square” is accompanied by taut synthesizer lines and a
focused vocal from Donner that hits all the right marks. The uniformity and
predictability of the track isn’t disheartening – instead, it gives the song a
sense of dogged purpose often lacking in other styles that never lacks the requisite
warmth. There’s a deep and simple groove quickly struck by the song “Symbols in
the Sky”, but it has a great hook that Donner exploits to its maximum
potential. There are some particularly strong synth lines in the song’s second
half that adds to its rambunctiousness. The album’s conclusion “Head Down,
Heart Up” has all the best qualities we associate with finales – this sounds
like an impassioned personal statement designed to give the album a dramatic
curtain. The song’s changes are inviting and natural sounding while Donner
rises to the challenge of closing things with an exclamation point by serving
up a lights-out vocal. Whatever genre it is, few acts today produce albums like
Kittens Slay Dragons has with Big Big Heart.
Grade:
A
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